Apple's iOS 17.4 Brings Major Changes for EU, Shakes Up App Marketplace

Apple released the first betas of iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 to developers on Thursday, revealing a slew of changes that would affect European Union customers in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Here Are The iPhone Changes Coming To EU Users By March 6

To comply with the DMA, Apple made significant modifications to the way the App Store and apps operate in the EU. These modifications are incorporated in iOS 17.4, but only apply to nations in the European Economic Area, as per MacRumors.

Apple is aiming to make the changes available to consumers who update to iOS 17.4 by March 6. We've detailed what will change for affected consumers and the justifications Apple has provided for the adjustments, as well as some relevant news.

• Apple's Reasons for Limiting Changes to EU: In a support document, Apple has explained why alternative app stores, alternative payment options, and other updates are being limited to the EU, highlighting risks like fraud, scams, and other privacy threats.

• Expanded Analytics Availability: As part of the App Store changes in the EU, Apple is providing all developers worldwide with updated analytics information. More than 50 new reports will be available through the App Store Connect API to help developers analyze their app performance.

• Hardware and Software Developer Access: Apple will allow developers of iOS apps distributed in the EU to request additional interoperability with iPhone hardware and software features. Apple says it will evaluate interoperability requests on a case-by-case basis.

• Default Browser Options: Users in the EU will be allowed to choose a new default browser from a list of the most downloaded browsers on iOS devices. Some of the options include Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Brave, and Microsoft Edge.

• NFC Third-Party Access: NFC payments will be available directly in apps without the need for Apple Pay or the Wallet app, allowing third-party payment services and banks to offer their own tap-to-pay solutions on Apple devices.

• Alternative App Stores: App developers in the EU can opt to offer alternative app stores or install their apps through alternative stores, and Apple has a new fee structure as part of the change. Any developer can create an app marketplace, so long as they meet Apple's criteria for customer experience, fraud prevention, customer support, and more.

• Alternative Payment Options: Apple is allowing apps to use alternative payment options, and there is no longer a requirement to use in-app purchases. Developers can integrate these into their apps, or developers can link out to their websites where users can make a purchase.

• App Store Notarization: Apple has outlined how Apps that are distributed through alternative app stores in EU countries will need to submit to a notarization process that's similar to the notarization process for Mac apps.

• Screen Time and Refund Limitations: Apple says apps distributed through alternative app stores won't work with some long-standing features like Screen Time, refunds, and in-app purchases, as they do for standard App Store apps.

As a direct or indirect result of the disclosed changes in iOS 17.4, various additional noteworthy developments occurred overnight.

Apple's New EU Terms and Core Technology Fee Raise Concerns Among Freemium App Developers

Apple's new EU terms include a Core Technology Fee, which several developers have warned might bankrupt popular freemium apps by collecting exorbitant fees. Apple does not charge for the first one million "first annual installs" per iOS account each year, but after that, developers will begin to incur fees. Apple's Core Technology Fee may potentially be prohibitively expensive for apps like Spotify, which have millions of users.

Epic Games, as per MacRumors, wants to launch its Epic Games Store on the iPhone and iPad as part of Apple's new alternative app store policy in the EU. The Epic Games Store will contain the popular game Fortnite, allowing iPhone and iPad users to install and play the game without having to use a cloud gaming server. Fortnite has been removed from the iOS App Store for several years due to a legal disagreement between Apple and Epic Games.

Apple has also announced that it will make it possible to stream game apps on the App Store internationally. This means that services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce NOW will be available as distinct iPhone and iPad apps when they were previously only available through the web.

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